Golf shoe marking device

ABSTRACT

Apparatuses for and methods of applying alignment markings to shoes are provided. One such method comprises overlaying a first alignment template over a first shoe, the first alignment template having first indicia associated with a predetermined stance, marking the first shoe adjacent to the first indicia, removing the first alignment template, utilizing the marking on the first shoe to provide a first alignment stripe on the first shoe, overlaying a second alignment template over a second shoe, the second alignment template having second indicia associated with the predetermined stance, marking the second shoe adjacent to the second indicia, and utilizing the marking on the second shoe to provide a second alignment stripe on the second athletic shoe.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is well known that a key to achieving a proper golf swing, and thusstriking a golf ball accurately and consistently, starts with an optimalstance. The present invention relates to apparatuses and methods toassist a golfer in achieving such a stance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In order to aid in achieving a proper golf stance, and to do soconsistently, golfers have been availing themselves of the aim improvingself-aligning golf shoes shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,381,614.Under the teachings of the '614 Patent, golf shoes may be equipped withalignment stripes, preferably aiding the golfer to align his or her feetrelative to the golf ball and target in accordance with commonlyaccepted golf stances, such as the Leadbetter or Hogan stances. However,improvements to these teachings are desirable.

For example, it has been found that providing a mechanism by whichalignment indicia, such as permanent or removable stripes, may beapplied to golf shoes by a golfer would be beneficial in thatconventional golf shoes may be retrofitted with aim improving indicia.Moreover, manufacturing of such shoes would be eased. Other advantageswill also be recognized by the improvement shown and described herein.

Therefore, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention,there is shown and described a method of applying alignment markings toshoes, the method comprising overlaying a first alignment template overa first shoe, the first alignment template having first indiciaassociated with a predetermined stance, marking the first shoe adjacentto the first indicia, removing the first alignment template, utilizingthe marking on the first shoe to provide a first alignment stripe on thefirst shoe, overlaying a second alignment template over a second shoe,the second alignment template having second indicia associated with thepredetermined stance, marking the second shoe adjacent to the secondindicia, and utilizing the marking on the second shoe to provide asecond alignment stripe on the second athletic shoe.

The step of marking the first shoe may mark the shoe in two locations.The step of utilizing the marking on the first shoe may utilize the twomarkings. The markings may be utilized by connecting the markings toform the first alignment stripe. The markings may be utilized to overlaya sticker to form the first alignment strip.

The step of utilizing the marking on the first shoe may be by extendingthe marking.

The step of utilizing the marking on the first shoe may be by overlayinga sticker over or adjacent to the marking.

The first alignment template may further comprise an alignment marking,the method further comprising the step of aligning the alignment markingof the first alignment template with a predetermined element of thefirst shoe. The predetermined element of the first shoe may be laces.The method may further comprise the step of stretching a rubber bandover the length of the first athletic shoe to define a centerline of theshoe, wherein the step of aligning the alignment marking of the firstalignment template with a predetermined element of the first athleticshoe aligns the alignment marking with the rubber band.

The first alignment template and the second alignment template may bethe same template. The second alignment template may be the oppositeside of the first alignment template.

The first indicia may be a first line. The second indicia may be asecond line. The angle between the first line and the second line may beapproximately 27½°, 22½°, or other various angles.

The predetermined stance may be one of the Hogan stance or theLeadbetter stance.

The first indicia may be one of a marking, a notch, or a slot.

The first alignment template may include an adhesive surface.

In accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention, a kitof components for applying alignment markings to shoes may be provided,the kit comprising an first alignment template having first indicia andsecond indicia associated with a first predetermined athletic stance, asecond alignment template having first indicia and second indiciaassociated with a second predetermined athletic stance, wherein eitherthe first alignment template or second alignment template may beutilized to aid in the application of alignment markings on shoes. Thefirst alignment template and second alignment template may be the sametemplate, such that indicia of more than one stance is provided on thealignment template. In this regard, the indicia may be different colorsfor readily apparent recognition.

The kit may further comprise an adhesive stripe.

The kit may further comprise a marking apparatus.

The kit may further comprise a rubber band.

The kit may further comprise an instruction document.

The first template may include an adhesive surface.

The kit may include an adhesive.

In another embodiment of the present invention, a kit of components forapplying alignment markings to athletic shoes may be provided, the kitcomprising a first alignment template, the first alignment templatecontaining markings indicative of the Leadbetter golf stance, a secondalignment template, the second alignment template containing markingsindicative of the Hogan golf stance, wherein one of the alignmenttemplates may be utilized to apply markings to athletic shoes to assista golfer in obtaining either the Leadbetter or Hogan stance.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above description, as well as further objects, features andadvantages of the present invention will be more fully understood withreference to the following detailed description of the golf shoe markingdevice when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings,wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of golf shoes for a right handed player withalignment indicia according to a first golf stance;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the golf shoes of FIG. 1 after the player'sfeet are placed in the first golf stance;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the golf shoes shown in FIG. 1 after theplayer's feet are placed in the desired stance;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of golf shoes in a similar position as thoseof FIG. 2, where the golf shoes include multiple parallel alignmentindicia;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of golf shoes for a left handed player withalignment indicia according to the first golf stance;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the golf shoes of FIG. 5 after the player'sfeet are placed in the desired stance;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of golf shoes for both right and left handedplayers with alignment indicia according to a second golf stance;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the golf shoes of FIG. 7 after the player'sfeet are placed in the second golf stance;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the golf shoes shown in FIG. 7 after theplayer's feet are placed in the desired stance;

FIG. 10 is a top plan view of the front and back of a template inaccordance with one aspect of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a top plan view of the front and back of a template inaccordance with another aspect of the present invention;

FIG. 12 is a top plan view of a template and golf shoes depictingcertain steps in one method of applying visual indicia to golf shoes;and,

FIG. 13 is a top plan view of a template and golf shoes depictingcertain steps in another method of applying visual indicia to golfshoes.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In describing the preferred embodiments of the subject matterillustrated and to be described with respect to the drawings, specificterminology will be resorted to for the sake of clarity. However, theinvention is not intended to be limited to the specific terms soselected, and it is to be understood that each specific term includesall technical equivalents which operate in a similar manner toaccomplish a similar purpose.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals representlike elements, FIGS. 1-3 generally depict a pair of golf shoes includinga left golf shoe 20A and a right golf shoe 20B, which have been modifiedto include alignment stripes under the teachings herein. The golf shoesare intended to be worn by a golfer 22 to facilitate consistentlyachieving an optimal stance to improve the golfer's aim during drivingand iron shots. Specific aspects of the golf shoes 20A and 20B aredisclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,381,614, the disclosure of which is herebyincorporated herein.

As discussed in this application, the terms “driving and iron shots” areintended to include all shots made with drivers, traditional ironsincluding Nos. 2-9, a pitching wedge, and all clubs useful for chippingshots. Thus, driving and iron shots include golf shots made with allclubs with the exception of putters.

It should be understood that the golf shoes generally depicted in FIGS.1-3 are intended to be used as an aid by golfers of all skill levels inacquiring an appropriate stance prior to striking a golf ball. In thisregard, the golf shoes disclosed in FIGS. 1-3 include visual linesthereon to indicate when a golfer 22 has obtained one of two populargolf stances, i.e., the Hogan or Leadbetter stance, which are merelypreferred stances, and thus are only intended to be examples of stancesthat may be obtained with the golf shoe alignment device of the presentinvention. Thus, the alignment lines on the golf shoes can be arrangedin various positions to indicate when different preferred stances areobtained.

The present disclosure builds on the teachings of U.S. Pat. No.5,381,614 by providing apparatuses and methods which are useful inapplying the visual lines, or other indicia, indicative of the Hogan,Leadbetter, or other golf stance desired by the user.

As discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,381,615, the golf shoes shown in FIGS.1-3 are useful to help players of all skill levels to obtain the popularHogan stance during driving and iron shots. The left golf shoe 20Aincludes an upper portion 24A and a sole portion 26A. Similarly, theright golf shoe 20B includes an upper portion 24B and a sole portion26B. These portions may be constructed in accordance with conventionalgolf shoes.

In the golf shoe embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-3, the left golf shoe 20Aincludes a longitudinal guide line 28A and a transverse guide line 30A.The transverse guideline 30A is arranged perpendicular to thelongitudinal guide line 28A. A central longitudinal axis LA extendsthrough the longitudinal center of the left golf shoe 20A as shown inphantom in FIG. 1.

The right golf shoe 20B also includes a pair of guide lines arranged onthe upper portion 24B. In this regard, the right golf shoe 20B includesa longitudinal guide line 28B and a transverse guide line 30B arrangedperpendicular thereto. Additionally, a central longitudinal axis RA isco-axially aligned with the longitudinal guide line 28B of the rightgolf shoe 20B.

The guide lines, or alignment stripes, 28A and 30A of the left golf shoe20A and the guide lines, or alignment stripes, 28B and 30B of the rightgolf shoe 20B are intended to act as alignment means to provide a visualaid for a golfer 22 in establishing relative positioning of the golfer'sfeet relative to each other and to the ball and target so an optimalstance may be obtained to improve the golfer's aim during driving andiron shots.

It should be appreciated that the guide lines in all embodiments of thepresent invention may be arranged on the upper portions 24A and 24B ofthe left and right golf shoes in any suitable manner. For example, theguide lines may be placed on the upper portion of the golf shoes byvarious colored dyes, markers, pens, sewn material, separable snap-ondevices, or loop and hook connectors. These different ways of placingthe guide lines on the upper portion of the golf shoes are intended tobe examples only, and the invention includes kits of components with atleast some of these various items. Thus, the particular manner in whichthe guide lines are arranged on golf shoes is not intended to be limitedby the description in this application. What is important, is that theguide lines are arranged in a manner that will clearly provide a visualaid to a golfer who wishes to obtain a particular stance. In addition toguide lines, it will be appreciated that other guiding indicia, asdiscussed below, may be provided.

As discussed above, the golf shoes 20A, 20B disclosed in FIGS. 1-3 areintended to aid a right handed golfer in establishing the Hogan stanceduring driving and iron shots. This is accomplished by arranging thelongitudinal guide line 28A of the left golf shoe 20A in a position sothat it will intersect the central longitudinal axis LA to form an angleof approximately 22½° therewith on the anterior side of the left golfshoe 20B, i.e., the side closest to the right golf shoe as shown inFIG. 1. The relative positioning of the longitudinal guide line 28A andthe transverse guide line 30A is fixed. In the embodiment shown in FIGS.1-3, the longitudinal guide line 28A will always remain perpendicular tothe transverse guide line 30A regardless of the positioning of the leftfoot golf shoe 20A. The longitudinal guide line 28B and the transverseguide line 30B of the right golf shoe 20B will also be perpendicular toeach other at all times.

The longitudinal guide line 28B of the right golf shoe 20B extendscoaxial with the central reference axis RA. As with the left golf shoe20A, the transverse guide line 30B of the right golf shoe 20B willalways remain perpendicular to the corresponding longitudinal guide line28B.

FIG. 2 illustrates an isolated top plan view of the left and right golfshoes after a right handed golfer 22 has obtained the Hogan stance. Asclearly shown in FIG. 2, the left golf shoe 20A should be placed at anangle with respect to the right golf shoe 20B until the longitudinalguide line 28A and the transverse guide line 30A arranged on the upperportion 24A are in axes which extend parallel with the respectivelongitudinal guide line 28B and the transverse guide line 30B on theupper portion 24B of the right golf shoe 20B. When the respective leftand right longitudinal and transverse guide lines are in alignment witheach as shown in FIG. 2, the golfer 22 has a clear indication that he orshe has obtained the desired stance.

In practice, a golfer will place his or her feet at a particulardistance from a golf ball 32 prior to assuming an appropriate stance.The relative positioning of a golfer's body and feet with respect to thegolf ball 32, and with respect to each other and the target, is shown inFIG. 3 which generally illustrates a golfer 22 who has prepared golfshoes using an alignment device of the present invention to establishthe popular Hogan stance.

For a right handed golfer, the golf ball 32 should be lined up with adesired location on the golfer's body along a central reference axis CAas shown in FIG. 3. Of course, different individuals will have differentpreferences with regard to the alignment between the golf ball 32 and aselected position on his or her body. For example, some right-handedgolfers may prefer to align the golf ball 32 with his or her left armpitwhile other golfers may align the golf ball with his or her left heel orother bodily reference.

For a left handed golfer, the body position is reversed so that the golfball 32 is generally arranged in alignment with a location on the rightside of the golfer's body (not shown). Once this initial alignment isobtained, the golfer must determine how to achieve the optimal stance.The alignment stripe accomplishes this by clearly providing the golfer22 with a visual aid for arranging his or her feet in a relativeposition with respect to the target, each other and with respect to thegolf ball 32. Once the longitudinal and transverse guide lines arealigned, the golfer knows that the optimal stance has been obtained andmay begin his or her swing.

As further shown in FIG. 3, when the golfer 22 has been properlypositioned in the Hogan stance, the longitudinal guide line 28A of theleft golf shoe 20A will intersect the central reference axis CA at anangle of 22½° in at least one quadrant. On the other hand, thelongitudinal guide line 28B of the right golf shoe 20B will extendparallel to the central reference axis CA. The angular relationshipbetween the left and right longitudinal guide lines is thus the samewith respect to the longitudinal reference axes LA and RA, and thecentral reference axis CA.

Additionally, the transverse guide lines 30A and 30B are particularlyuseful to aid a golfer 22 in improving his aim prior to swinging a golfclub. In this regard, the arrangement of the transverse guide lines 30Aand 30B are selected so that their aligned axis, obtained when theoptimal stance is obtained, is also in alignment with the intendedtarget area. This feature can be appreciated from FIG. 3 whichillustrates that the axis of the aligned transverse lines 30A and 30Baids the golfer 22 in aiming toward the target area along arrow T. Whenthe golfer 22 has obtained an optimal stance, the central reference axisCA will extend perpendicular to the axis of target arrow T which extendsthrough the transverse guide lines 30A and 30B between the golfer's feetand the target.

FIG. 4 depicts an alternate embodiment of the alignment stripe whichincludes a plurality of transverse lines 44A, 46A and 48A on the upperportion 42A of the left golf shoe 40A and a plurality of transverselines 44B, 46B and 48B on the upper portion 42B of the right golf shoe40B. These additional transverse lines may provide a golfer with aclearer reference site than that provided by the single transverse lineembodiment establishing the desired stance. One longitudinal line 50A,50B is shown on the respective left and right golf shoes in theembodiment of FIG. 4. However, more or less transverse or longitudinallines may be used for aesthetic purposes to create a differentappearance on the upper portions of the golf shoes.

FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate exemplary golf shoes for use by left-handedgolfers who also prefer the Hogan stance. In this regard, thelongitudinal and transverse guide lines on the left and right golf shoes60A and 60B are simply arranged in an orientation opposite to that shownfor a right-handed golfer in FIGS. 1-3. Thus, in the embodiments shownin FIGS. 5 and 6, a left-handed golfer would be required to turn his orher right foot away from the left foot to form an angle of approximately22½° with respect to a central axis between a golf ball and a selectedlocation on a golfer's body as discussed above.

A second preferred stance which may be obtained by using the golfmarkings is the popular Leadbetter stance. When the Leadbetter stance isused, the positioning of a golfer's feet is the same for left and righthanded players. FIGS. 7-9 clearly illustrate the orientation of thealignment guide lines required to help a golfer obtain the Leadbetterstance. In this regard, FIG. 7 illustrates an isolated top plan view ofa golf shoes in which the alignment guide lines are shown in theirorientation prior to positioning a golfer's feet in the Leadbetterstance. FIG. 8 depicts the orientation of the alignment guide linesafter the golfer's feet have been moved into the proper position toobtain the Leadbetter stance. In this stance, both the left and theright feet should be turned outwardly from each other at an angle ofapproximately 27½° with respect to a central reference axis CA′ (shownin phantom).

In accordance with this stance, a left golf shoe 70A includes an upperportion 72A and a sole portion 74A. A longitudinal line 76A and atransverse line 78A are arranged on the upper portion 72A. Thelongitudinal line 76A forms an angle of about 27½° with respect to theanterior side of a central longitudinal axis LA′ (shown in phantom).Similarly, the right golf shoe 70B includes an upper portion 72B and asole portion 74B. A longitudinal line 76B and a transverse line 78B arearranged on the upper portion 72B. The longitudinal line 76B of theright golf shoe 70B also forms a angle of approximately 27½° withrespect to the central longitudinal axis RA′ (also shown in phantom),all of which can be appreciated from FIGS. 7 and 8. The orientation ofthe alignment lines shown in FIG. 7 is that which would be seen in theLeadbetter style golf shoes while the golfer has his or her feet placedin a normal standing position, i.e., before assuming the Leadbetterstance.

Once the Leadbetter stance is obtained, the longitudinal line 76A andthe transverse line 78A of the right golf shoe 70 will appear to beparallel with the respective longitudinal line 76B and the transverseline 78B of the right golf shoe 70B as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. Asfurther shown in FIG. 9, when the golfer 22 has successfully obtainedthe Leadbetter stance, the aligned transverse lines 78A and 78B will bearranged in an imaginary axis including the target arrow T. Thus,providing the golfer 22 with a means for improving his or her aim priorto swinging the golf club.

Although the particular positioning of a golfer's feet will vary inaccordance with the desired stance in the various arrangements possible,the alignment guide lines of the present invention operate in a similarmanner for each. That is, the longitudinal lines and the transverselines, if any, should be placed in a parallel position with respect tothe corresponding longitudinal or transverse lines on the other golfshoe. This is beneficial as a beginning golfer may wish to experimentwith various stances before selecting one that is the most comfortable.

Heretofore, the golf shoes themselves were provided with alignmentmarkings indicative of a particular stance, including the Leadbetter andHogan stances, as described above. However, there are several drawbacksto this arrangement. For one, a shoe retailer must inventory shoes ineach of multiple stances in all of the available sizes, potentially forboth right and left handed golfers. Moreover, a consumer cannot readilychange the intended stance of the shoes once purchased. Those golfersthat had become proficient in a particular stance, and no longer neededto utilize the alignment stripes to obtain a proper stance, or simply nolonger wanted the stripes for aesthetic or other reasons, were requiredto purchase a second pair of golf shoes without the stripes. Othergolfers that never adapted to a particular stance were left without anoption for revising their shoes to another stance orientation.

To alleviate these issues and others, the present invention includesapparatuses and methods for applying alignment indications to golfshoes, including the retrofitting of conventional golf shoes. As such,the present invention generally provides for a template that may beoverlaid upon an otherwise conventional golf shoe by a user inaccordance with a predetermined orientation. The user may then utilizeindicia on the template to provide an alignment stripe or otheralignment indication on the shoe. Such alignment stripes or indicationsmay be drawn or painted on the shoe, adhered to the shoe, sewn to theshoe, or applied to the shoe by any suitable means.

As shown in FIG. 10, a template apparatus 100 may be formed as arectilinear planar surface. Preferably, the length of the template 100approximately corresponds to that of a standard shoe upper, from thebottom of the laces to the toe box. Likewise, the width is preferablyapproximately the width of the standard shoe upper, such that thetemplate 100 may be overlaid conveniently upon a shoe.

The template of FIG. 10 is designed to assist with the application ofalignment indications on golf shoes for the Leadbetter stance.Preferably, the template is rectangular with upper 102 and lower 104edges spanning first 106 and second 108 sides. The template 100 may bemade from a variety of materials, including plastics and metals, or evenpaper so as to be environmentally responsible. Preferably, the template100 is somewhat flexible such that it may generally conform to the shapeand configuration of the golf shoe upper upon which it may be applied.In addition, the material is preferably clear, such that the template100 may be flipped over to aid with application of alignment stripes onthe shoe of the opposite foot. If not clear, additional markings may beapplied to the back of the template. Alternatively, a second template(not shown) may be provided. It will be appreciated that the template100 of FIG. 10 is represented as a clear template.

To aid in aligning the template on the shoes, the template may beprovided with alignment guides 110, 112 in the form of dashes or otherindicia centered at the upper 102 and lower 104 edges, respectively. Aswill be shown below, the upper alignment guide 110 may be alignedadjacent to the laces of a conventional shoe while the lower alignmentguide 112 may be aligned with the toe box of a conventional shoe, toproperly align the template 100.

As discussed above, the template 100 is configured for the Leadbetterstance. As such, the template 100 includes a first indicia 114 of theLeadbetter stance, in this case a line preferably extending orthogonalto the outer perimeter of the rectangular template. Note that in someembodiments the line 114 may not be included as this line is optionalfor the Leadbetter stance. The template also includes a second indicia116 of the Leadbetter stance, again a line. The angle between the twolines 114, 116 for the Leadbetter stance is approximately 27½°. Ofcourse, that angle may vary for other stances.

Shown in FIG. 10 is the front (F) and back (B) of template 100. In thisembodiment, the template is transparent or translucent with the lines114, 116 and alignment guides 110, 112 printed on the front (F). Asshown, the lines 114, 116, and alignment guides 110, 112 can clearly beseen through the template. In this way, a single template may beutilized for both the left and right shoes, as will be shown. In otherembodiments, two separate templates may be utilized, or an opaquetemplate with two sets of markings may be utilized.

FIG. 11 depicts a second template 200 arranged for the Hogan stance.Like template 100, the second template is preferably rectangular withupper 202 and lower 204 edges spanning first 206 and second 208 sides.The template 200 may be made from a variety of materials as discussedwith respect to template 100.

Again like template 100, template 200 may include alignment guides 210,212 in the form of dashes or other indicia centered at the upper 202 andlower 204 edges, respectively.

Being configured for the Hogan stance, the template 200 includes a firstindicia 214 of the Hogan stance, in this case a line preferablyextending orthogonal to the outer perimeter of the rectangular template.Note that in some embodiments the line 214 may not be included as thisline is optional for the Hogan stance. The template also includes asecond indicia 216 of the Hogan stance, again a line. The angle betweenthe two lines 214, 216 for the Hogan stance is approximately 22½°. Ofcourse, that angle may vary for other stances.

Shown in FIG. 11 is the front (F) and back (B) of template 200. In thisembodiment, the template is transparent or translucent with the lines214, 216 and alignment guides 210, 212 printed on the front (F). Asshown, the lines 214, 216, and alignment guides 210, 212 can clearly beseen through the template. In this way, a single template may beutilized for both the left and right shoes, as will be shown. In otherembodiments, two separate templates may be utilized. In practice, thetemplate 200 for the Hogan stance may be configured all on one side, asthe first indicia 214 is preferably horizontal in relation to the shoeand there is only one angular indicia transferred to the golf shoe.Flipping the template 200 does not change that relationship, as there isstill only one angular indicia transferred while the other remainshorizontal.

FIG. 12 represents left 300 and right 302 golf shoes to be configuredwith the Leadbetter stance indicia. In order to do so, the followingsteps may be conducted. Obviously, certain of the steps need not becompleted in the order provided. For example, the application ofmarkings will be described as being on the right shoe first (shown onthe left in FIG. 12). However, the applications can easily be appliedfirst to the left shoe and then the right.

To apply the markings, the appropriate template, such as the template100 shown in FIG. 10, is applied over the right shoe upper 304. The usermay ensure proper alignment by aligning the alignment guides 110 and 112on the front (F) of the template 100 adjacent to the laces 306 and toebox 308, respectively. Alternatively, or in addition thereto, the usermay stretch a rubber band 310 (represented by a dashed line) over theshoe upper 304 to provide visual indication of the shoe centerline. Theuser may also utilize line 114 to align the template between the laces306 and toe box 308. In some embodiments, the template may include atacky surface, or a kit of components may include an adhesive, that cantemporarily stick to the shoe 300 to aid in maintaining alignment of thetemplate. As a temporary alignment aide, the template could simply beadhered to the shoes and left that way during use.

Once the template 100 is appropriately placed, the user may first markone side of the shoe 300 directly adjacent second indicia 116 with amark 312. The user may then mark the other side of the shoe 300 directlyadjacent the template with a second mark 314. Depending on thecircumstances, the marks 312, 314 may be achieved with a pencil,sticker, or other removable means, or a pen, marker, or other permanentmeans. Optionally, the user may also mark opposing sides of line 114,although that is not strictly necessary for the Leadbetter stance.

After the marks 312, 314 are made, the user may remove the template 100from atop the shoe 300. The user may then extend a line, series oflines, or other indicia between the marks 312, 314. Preferably, a kit ofmaterials is supplied which includes not only the templates, but linearstickers that may be applied to the shoes. Once the visual indicia isplaced on the right shoe 300, the template 100 may be flipped over tothe back (B) and aligned over the left shoe 302. Markings may be appliedin a manner similar to that described previously, such that markings316, 318 are made adjacent to either side of line 116. Again, thetemplate may be removed and a line applied between the marks 316, 318.Alternatively, a second line corresponding to line 114 may also beapplied to the second shoe 302.

It will be appreciated that in one embodiment, upon completion of lineapplication the shoes 300, 302 will resemble those shown in FIG. 7. Inother embodiments, the lines 78A, 78B shown in FIG. 7 may be other thansolid. For example, the lines may be dashed, dotted, or the like.Similarly, the lines may be colored so as to heavily contrast with theshoes, which obviously makes them readily visible. Alternatively, ifsuch ease of visibility is not desired, the lines may be configured tocolors similar to those of the underlying shoe, where only small colorvariations can be notice or where variations in the sheen of the twocomponents can be detected upon relatively close inspection. In thisway, the markings may only be readily visible to the user. Kits ofcomponents according to the present invention may include each of thesevarious options.

Moving now to FIG. 13, and additional pair of shoes 400, 402 are shown.In this example, the shoes 400, 402 will have indicia indicative of theHogan stance applied. To do so, the following steps may be practiced.Like those of the Leadbetter stance, the following steps may not beconducted in the exact order presented.

First, the appropriate template, such as the template 200 shown in FIG.11, is applied over the right shoe upper 404. The user may ensure properalignment by aligning the alignment guides 210 and 212 on the front (F)of the template 200 adjacent to the laces 406 and toe box 408,respectively. Alternatively, or in addition thereto, the user maystretch a rubber band (not shown) over the shoe upper 404 to providevisual indication of the shoe centerline. The user may also utilize line214 to align the template between the laces 406 and toe box 408.

Once the template 100 is appropriately placed, the user may first markone side of the shoe 400 directly adjacent first indicia 214 with a mark412. The user may then mark the other side of the shoe 400 directlyadjacent indicia 214 with a second mark 414. Depending on thecircumstances, the marks 412, 414 may be achieved with a pencil,sticker, or other removable means, or a pen, marker, or other permanentmeans. For the Hogan stance, the user need not mark a line associatedwith line 216 on this shoe.

After the marks 412, 414 are made, the user may remove the template 200from atop the shoe 400. The user may then extend a line, series oflines, or other indicia between the marks 412, 414. Preferably, a kit ofmaterials is supplied which includes not only the templates, but linearstickers that may be applied to the shoes. Once the visual indicia isplaced on the right shoe 400, the template 200 may be flipped over tothe back (B) and aligned over the left shoe 402. It will be appreciatedthat due to the nature of the Hogan markings, the template need not beflipped if the back (B) is used for the first shoe 400. Markings maythen be applied in a manner similar to that described previously, suchthat markings 416, 418 are made adjacent to either side of line 216.Again, the template may be removed and a line applied between the marks416, 418.

It will be appreciated that in one embodiment, upon completion of lineapplication the shoes 400, 402 will resemble those shown in FIG. 5. Inother embodiments, the lines shown in FIG. 5 may be other than solid, aspreviously discussed.

While the aforementioned procedures may be undertaken for the variousshoes shown, it is to be understood that other similar procedures may benecessary for other configurations. For example, various stances aleft-handed golfer and a right-handed golfer may have shoes that areopposite to each other. In that regard, the applied lines would bealtered for use by the particular golfer such that the applied lines areoriented with the feet in the proper position and the target in line.Instructions for application of alignment markings for each of thestances may be provided in a kit.

Regarding the aforementioned kit, it will be appreciated that the kitmay contain a number of templates, for example a Hogan template and aLeadbetter template, in left and right handed variations as necessary,along with appropriate marking devices, such as pencils or pens, andappropriate devices for applying visual indicia on the shoes. These mayinclude linear stickers, paint, sew on stripes, indicia with hook andloop type fasteners, or the like. In addition, the kit may containinstructions for use and an adhesive, preferably a light adhesive. Allof these components may be housed in a package sufficient for thispurpose.

Lastly, it will be noted that the templates may be provided with atleast one aperture or slot 118, as shown in dashed lines in FIG. 10(where only one is shown). The apertures or slots may be arranged alongthe lines 114, 116. They may then be utilized to assist with the markingsteps previously mentioned. In this regard, one need not make a markadjacent to the template 100, but may make the mark within the boundaryof the template 100. Indeed, this arrangement could replace therequirement to mark adjacent to the template and then connect themarkings, because all of the markings may be made in a single step, forexample by applying paint through the template at various locations.

While the foregoing description and figures are directed toward thepreferred embodiments in accordance with the present invention, itshould be appreciated that numerous modifications can be made to thestructure and orientation of the alignment guide lines on the golfshoes. Thus, such modifications in the materials, structure andarrangement of the disclosed embodiments and the steps of the method ofthe present invention can be made without departing from the spirit andscope thereof. Accordingly, the foregoing description of the preferredembodiments should be taken by way of illustration rather than by way oflimitation with respect to the present invention, which is defined bythe claims set forth below.

Although the invention herein has been described with reference toparticular embodiments, it is to be understood that these embodimentsare merely illustrative of the principles and application of the presentinvention. It is therefore to be understood that numerous modificationsmay be made to the illustrative embodiments and that other arrangementsmay be devised without departing from the spirit and scope of thepresent invention as defined by the appended claims.

1. A method of applying alignment markings to shoes, comprising:overlaying a first alignment template over a first shoe, the firstalignment template having first indicia associated with a predeterminedstance; marking the first shoe adjacent to the first indicia; removingthe first alignment template; utilizing the marking on the first shoe toprovide a first alignment stripe on the first shoe; overlaying a secondalignment template over a second shoe, the second alignment templatehaving second indicia associated with the predetermined stance; markingthe second shoe adjacent to the second indicia; utilizing the marking onthe second shoe to provide a second alignment stripe on the secondathletic shoe.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of markingthe first shoe marks the shoe in two locations.
 3. The method of claim2, wherein said step of utilizing the marking on the first shoe utilizesthe two markings.
 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the markings areutilized by connecting the markings to form the first alignment stripe.5. The method of claim 3, wherein the markings are utilized to overlay asticker to form the first alignment strip.
 6. The method of claim 1,wherein said step of utilizing the marking on the first shoe is byextending the marking.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein said step ofutilizing the marking on the first shoe is by overlaying a sticker overor adjacent to the marking.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein said firstalignment template further comprises an alignment marking, the methodfurther comprising the step of aligning the alignment marking of thefirst alignment template with a predetermined element of the first shoe.9. The method of claim 8, wherein the predetermined element of the firstshoe are laces.
 10. The method of claim 8, further comprising the stepof stretching a rubber band over the length of the first athletic shoeto define a centerline of the shoe, wherein the step of aligning thealignment marking of the first alignment template with a predeterminedelement of the first athletic shoe aligns the alignment marking with therubber band.
 11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first alignmenttemplate and the second alignment template are the same template. 12.The method of claim 11, wherein the second alignment template is theopposite side of the first alignment template.
 13. The method of claim1, wherein said first indicia is a first line.
 14. The method of claim13, wherein the second indicia is a second line.
 15. The method of claim14, wherein the angle between the first line and the second line isapproximately 27½°.
 16. The method of claim 14, wherein the anglebetween the first line and the second line is approximately 22½°. 17.The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined stance is one of theHogan stance or the Leadbetter stance.
 18. The method of claim 1,wherein said first indicia is one of a marking, a notch, or a slot. 18.The method of claim 1, wherein the first alignment template includes anadhesive surface.
 20. A kit of components for applying alignmentmarkings to shoes, the kit comprising: an first alignment templatehaving first indicia and second indicia associated with a firstpredetermined athletic stance; a second alignment template having firstindicia and second indicia associated with a second predeterminedathletic stance; wherein either the first alignment template or secondalignment template may be utilized to aid in the application ofalignment markings on shoes.
 21. The kit of claim 20, wherein the firstalignment template and the second alignment template are one template.22. The kit of claim 20, further comprising an adhesive stripe.
 23. Thekit of claim 22, further comprising a marking apparatus.
 24. The kit ofclaim 20, further comprising a rubber band.
 25. The kit of claim 20,further comprising an instruction document.
 26. The kit of claim 20,wherein said first template includes an adhesive surface.
 27. A kit ofcomponents for applying alignment markings to athletic shoes, the kitcomprising: a first alignment template, the first alignment templatecontaining markings indicative of the Leadbetter golf stance; a secondalignment template, the second alignment template containing markingsindicative of the Hogan golf stance; wherein one of the alignmenttemplates may be utilized to apply markings to athletic shoes to assista golfer in obtaining either the Leadbetter or Hogan stances.